She giggled, and the sound made him feel warm all over. “It takes a little more than that to tire me out completely. I think I’ve got a few steps left in me. But, if we’re going to do that, would you mind if we stopped by my car really quickly?”

  “No, we can stop wherever you want.” She looked very satisfied with the answer and took him by the hand.

  The two of them slipped out of the house quietly and without letting anyone know they were going. Alex’s first instinct was to announce their departure, but he knew at least one of the girls, likely Lizzie, would want to tag along. He loved his daughters’ company and cherished how much they wanted to be around Juniper, but right now he wanted to have her to himself. Besides, it was time for him to learn that he didn’t have to do it all on his own. He had spent the last several years feeling like he needed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. But his brothers and his father were here with him. He could let go of the reins for a minute and trust that his family would take care of things. Now seemed like a perfect time to let go of some of his control and carve out some time for himself and what he wanted in his life. Right now, that meant as much of Juniper as he could get.

  She clearly had something up her sleeve, too, because she was practically skipping down the steps of the porch. She still held his hand, and he actually had to pick up his pace to keep up with her. He had a feeling that if he decided to drag his heels, she would drag him along by force.

  When they got to her car, she moved around to the trunk and stopped short. She turned to look at him with an adorably stern expression. It made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her, which she must have been able to read in his face. She held up a hand to stop him, then folded her arms across her chest.

  “Okay, now is the part where you cover your eyes. In fact, go ahead and close them, too. Just for good measure.”

  “Seriously?” He asked with a laugh.

  She nodded decisively. “Seriously. Although, I should probably also tell you not to get your hopes up. It’s not like, a Rolex or anything. Just something small. I wanted to give it to you before –”

  She stopped, and Alex sighed. “Before I acted like a total ass?”

  “You didn’t, really, but yes,” she agreed. “I wanted to give it to you before yesterday, and I figured that I might as well bring it with me since I was dropping the tea set off.”

  Now his curiosity was seriously piqued. He made a show of shutting his eyes and then covered them, just as he had been instructed. He heard her unlock and open her trunk. As she rummaged around inside, she hummed a Christmas carol.

  It was the sweetest sound, and it made him think about what it would be like to hear her sing soft lullabies to his girls until they fell asleep. Lizzie was too young to remember ever having that kind of interaction with Fiona, which was heartbreaking. But now, she would have a different set of memories, a whole lifetime of them to make with Juniper. There were so many things for them to look forward to, and it made him dizzy with excitement to think of the possibilities. It was like he had been living in a world of gray since Fiona’s death, and now he was finally surrounded by color.

  “Okay, you can open your eyes now. Just remember, it’s nothing major. Just something I wanted you to have.”

  She sounded excited and a little nervous, which Alex found wildly endearing. He let his hands drop and opened his eyes, blinking a little to let them adjust in the steadily darkening sky.

  Juniper stood before him with her hands held out, palms up. Laying across them was the gorgeous set of rustic tack hooks he had noticed in the barn the day that Lizzie lost her first tooth. He had admired it then, but it looked even better now, away from the rest of her work. It was both simply and expertly crafted. More importantly than that, though, was the fact that it had been crafted by her beautiful hands. It was like she was handing him a little piece of herself, and he was beyond honored to accept it.

  He cleared his throat, surprised at how emotional the gift made him feel. “Thank you, Juniper. Seriously. This means a lot to me. It’s beautiful.”

  “Like I said, it’s nothing big,” she said anxiously, her eyes searching his face as if she were trying to decipher if he really liked it as much as he said. “But I saw you noticing it when you dropped off that wood the first time, and I couldn’t think of anyone I would rather have it.”

  He ran his hands along it, then took it out of her arms and set it gently on the back of her car so he could take her in his arms. “It is big. To me, it is. I love it, and I already know the perfect place to put it. Come with me to the barn? We can hang it up together. Oh, and I have a little surprise for you, too.”

  “What surprise?” Juniper demanded for the third or fourth time on their short walk from her car to the barn. “Come on, Alex, just tell me. You’ve already given me a pretty amazing surprise today, remember? I’m not sure my heart can take any more!”

  “It’s just going to have to,” Alex called over his shoulder. “Because it’s coming whether you’re ready for it or not.”

  She leaned in closer to him and took his free hand. The feel of his skin was pure electricity, and her heart quickened at the thought of what other kind of alone time they might spend with each other this evening.

  He led her to one of the back walls and together, they hung her gift to him on their first Christmas together. He was right. It was the perfect place for it. It looked like it had been made just for this barn, for this man. For Juniper, it was another signal of how perfect she and Alex were together.

  “Beautiful,” he murmured, looking at where it hung for a moment before turning to face her, letting his hands rest on her shoulders. “And now it’s time for your surprise. We’re going to have to go back outside, though. And I’m going to need you to close and cover your eyes, too.”

  “Seriously? I don’t know how good I’ll be at walking around with my eyes closed, Alex.” She was giddy with excitement now. It was the feeling she imagined a kid felt on Christmas morning anticipating all of the festivities to come. She hadn’t been lucky enough to have that kind of Christmas growing up, but she felt wildly fortunate to have it now.

  Alex kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth. “Don’t worry about that. I won’t let you get hurt.”

  The words hung in the air for a moment. Alex never allowed his gaze to break away from hers. In his eyes, she saw how much more that simple declaration meant than just committing to not letting her stumble. She believed him, too. It had taken a long time for them to get to this place, but she was so happy that they had.

  “Good,” she whispered, her heart beating dizzily. “I won’t let you get hurt, either.”

  He nodded, her meaning perfectly received. She shut her eyes and he took her hand, leading her carefully back the way they came. He walked her to the right and around what must have been the side of the barn. As they approached the back, she thought she heard bells jangling lazily on the chilly wind. Her excitement grew with every step, and by the time they finally stopped walking, she thought she would burst if she didn’t see what he had planned right this minute.

  “Okay, your turn to open your eyes now. I hope you like it.”

  He whispered the words in her ear, and she shuddered, not from the cold of the evening sky but with a deep warmth spreading up the length of her body. She opened her eyes and gasped, her eyes growing wide.

  Before them stood a genuine horse-drawn carriage, just like the one they had seen trotting down the street on the night of their impromptu hot chocolate date. The horse was beautiful, all white, and his halter was strung with fat, jolly bells. The carriage itself was strung with delicate twinkling lights that blinked happily and beckoned them to come nearer. The elderly driver wore a cap set jauntily to one side and when he saw Juniper, he gave her a friendly wink. Juniper couldn’t remember ever feeling more loved than she felt right here, in this moment.

  “But you said they were hokey!” she exclaimed. She approached the carriage reverently, almost like she thought it would disappear if she touched it. “What changed your mind?”

  He followed and offered her his hand so she could step up inside. “The hope of seeing that look on your face. And the idea that getting you in a carriage like this would be a great excuse to hold you tight and keep you warm.”

  “I definitely won’t say no to that. Climb up here with me, Alex. Take me for a ride.”

  He chuckled and she blushed at the unintended double entendre of the statement. He sat beside her and scooted closer, pressing his body against hers.

  “What do you say?” he asked, still grinning. “Want to take it for a spin?”

  She rested her head on his shoulder and the driver guided the carriage out onto the ranch land, the bells singing them a song as they moved. As the horse led them through the snow, they talked about all of the things their future might hold. Alex told her that he wanted to come to her big craft show, which made Juniper thrilled all over again. He was even willing to do menial labor for her, he said, just so long as he got to be near her. They spoke about the spring, and the possibility of Juniper helping the girls to start their own garden. She had a feeling that Sophia would be a natural at taking care of small, delicate things. She also had an idea that it would help her to feel more confident in herself, which could only be a good thing.

  Juniper could have gone on talking about these things and gliding through the snow for the rest of her life and been perfectly happy. She did not want this night to end. She wanted to capture it like a photograph, to keep it safe in a little space of its own where she could cherish it forever.

  When the driver guided the carriage to a stop in one of the back fields and fell silent, she angled her body more fully toward him and cocked her head to the side.

  “Did you decide carriage rides are too hokey, after all?” she joked.

  He smiled nervously and slipped his hand into his pocket. “Not exactly. I’ve got one more thing I would like to give you, but I warn you, it’s not nearly as impressive as this ride.”

  He held his hand out toward her and she saw that a box wrapped in a neat red bow rested on his palm. She took it in her own hands and studied it for a moment before looking back at him.

  “Can I open it?”

  “God, please do!” he groaned dramatically. “Put me out of my misery. I’m a little rusty with these kinds of gestures, if you can’t tell.”

  She bent and kissed his still open palm. “I can’t. You’re very good at them.”

  She opened the little box, taking her time in spite of Alex’s entreaty for her to hurry up. This was the only chance she would have to experience their first Christmas as a couple, and she wanted to savor it.

  When she saw what was nestled inside, her eyes filled with tears. It was the ornament he had made at her workshop, something that felt like a million years ago now. She traced its lines tenderly, then looked back up at Alex.

  “I love it,” she said quietly, her throat thick with feelings that felt almost too big to contain. “It’s wonderful.”

  He shrugged uncomfortably. “It’s not very good, I know that, but it kind of represents the first time we felt that spark with each other. At least for me.”

  “I felt it, too,” she added quickly. “Very much so.”

  “And we worked on it together,” he continued as if he had planned a speech he wanted to get all of the way through. “It represents the beginning of what I hope will be many happy years together.”

  “I love it, Alex,” she said with a sigh, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his. “Truly. And I have a feeling it’s going to be hanging on our Christmas tree for a long, long time.”

  She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes once more, then kissed him gently. They had plenty of time to plan their futures together, but for now, she wanted to be in this moment with him. Just the two of them, loving each other completely.

  End of Rancher’s Family Christmas

  Christmas at the Harvey Ranch Book One

  Rancher’s Family Christmas, 4 November 2021

  Cowboy’s Christmas Return, 11 November 2021

  Cowboy’s Christmas Homecoming, 18 November 2021

  PS: Do you love sexy men? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from Cowboy’s Christmas Return, Cowboy’s Secret Son and The Billionaire’s Christmas Fiancée.

  Thank you!

  Thank you so much for purchasing my book. It’s hard for me to put into words how much I appreciate my readers. If you enjoyed this book, please remember to leave a review. Reviews are crucial for an author’s success and I would greatly appreciate it if you took the time to review the book. I love hearing from you!

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  About Leslie

  Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.

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  BLURB

  A sexy cowboy. A beautiful nurse. This Christmas, romance is the greatest gift of all...

  When rodeo star Travis Harvey reluctantly returns home for Christmas, he’s shocked to see how much has changed. His nieces are growing up, his brother is in a new relationship… And his father’s full-time nurse is way more beautiful than he ever imagined.

  Travis has to admit, he’s impressed. If Scarlet can handle his grumpy father, she can handle anything. But he’s not sure he can handle his growing attraction to the beautiful nurse…

  Scarlett can’t believe what a flirt Travis is! But she's determined to ignore his considerable charms. With a young foster child to care for, she doesn’t have time for romantic flings, or a cowboy with a body that takes her breath away. Besides, Travis is just going to return to the rodeo circuit once Christmas break is over, right?

  But when Travis’s older brother is injured, the dutiful cowboy has to stay on a bit longer to help run the ranch. Perhaps just long enough for them both to give in to their hearts…

  Grab your copy of Cowboy’s Christmas Return

  Available November 4 2021

  Available for pre-order now! www.LeslieNorthBooks.com

  EXCERPT

  Chapter One

  “Alright. This is going to be fine. Just a couple of days and then it’s back on the road.”

  Travis spoke to himself as he guided his truck down the long, curving drive to his family’s ranch. His hands were clenching the steering wheel hard enough to hurt. His nerves had been on the fritz for days now, leading up to this family Christmas. Now, seeing the house in the distance—getting closer by the minute—it was all coming to a head. He was not at all convinced that his lame attempt at a pep talk was going to help much with keeping things smooth.

  He hadn’t been back to the Harvey ranch, not even to his hometown of Buckley, Wyoming, in the three years since his mother’s funeral. Out of everyone in his family, he had always been closest to her. When she had died in the same car crash that left their father badly injured, a part of home had died with her. He’d walked away that day knowing that house would never be the same again. He hadn’t had the courage to face it ever since.

  But his older brother, Alex, who never asked anyone for anything if he could help it, had called with a request Travis couldn’t refuse. Thora, Alex’s seven-year-old daughter, had asked Santa for a Christmas like the Harvey family used to have. Alex aimed to see to it that she got her wish. How could Travis say no to that? No matter how nervous he felt right in this moment, he knew there was no backing out. Especially since he was close enough to his destination to see the three little girls already waiting for him on the porch.

  Pulling up at the house, Travis braced himself—and got out of the truck.

  “Uncle Travis! It’s finally you!”

  The three rushed him like tiny football players lining up for a tackle. The smallest, five-year-old Lizzie, was the one who called out to him with such exuberance that it made Travis laugh. As a rodeo star, he was used to people being happy to see him, but there was something sweeter about it coming from family—even if it was family he hadn’t seen since she was a toddler.

  He let out an oomph of breath as they plowed into him. “Well,” he said with a chuckle, “It’s good to see all three of you, too.” He gave the oldest, twelve-year-old Sophia, a quick squeeze and then scooped Thora up under his arm. Lizzie, meanwhile, twined herself around his leg with all four limbs and giggled when he managed to clomp forward with her still attached.